Exposure time changeover device for cameras or shutters

ABSTRACT

A camera is provided with apparatus including an electric circuit, a battery for supplying electrical energy to the electric circuit, a changeover switch, and shutter operating means for operating the shutter. The shutter operating means is provided with a series of switch contacts electrically connected to the changeover switch and cooperative therewith to select one at least two exposure termination times, one shorter than the other, prior to the initiation of the exposure. The exposure termination time is controlled by an electro-magnetically controlled escapement mechanism.

United States Patent Kitai 1451 Sept. 19, 1972 [s41 EXPOSURE TIMECHANGEOVER 3,456,569 7/1969 Noack .Q ..95/53 x DEVICEFOR CAMERAS OR.3,460,450 8/1969 Ogihara ..95/53 X SHUTTERS 3,502,011 3/1970 Rentschleret a1 ..95/53 X [72] Inventor: xiyoshfxmbTokyoJapm 3,507,201 4/1970Fahlenberg et a1 ..95/53 73 Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha liattoriTokelten, Primary ExaminerSamuelS. Matthews Tokyo, Japan AssistantExaminer--Michael L. Gellner Atrome Robert E. Burns and Emm nuel J. Lobt [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1969 y a a o 211 App]. No.: 802,101 a 1 vABSTRACT A camera is provided with apparatus including an electriccircuit, a battery for supplying electrical ener- [30] ForeignApplication Prmrity Data gy to the electric circuit, a changeoverswitch, and Feb. 28, 1968 Japan ..43/ l 2427 shutter operating means foroperating the shutter. The shutter operating means is provided with aseries of [52] U.S.Cl. ..95/53 EB switch o tacts electrically connectedto the chan- [51] Int. Cl. ..G03b 9/60 8 Switch and cooperativetherewith to select one 58 Field of Search ..95/53, 63 at least twoexposure termination times, one Show" than the other, prior to theinitiation of the exposure. [56] References Cited The exposuretermination time is controlled by an electro-magnetically controlledescapement UNITED STATES PATENTS mechanism.

3,452,662 7/1969 Singer ..95/53 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure EXPOSURE TIMECIIANGEOVER DEVICE FOR CAMERAS OR SHUTTERS It is an object of thepresent invention to provide ap-,

paratus for a camera that permits the operator to select a relativelylong or relatively short exposure time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a camera afirst and a second exposure termination time one shorter than the other.

lt is still another object of the present invention to provide in acamera an improved apparatus for controlling the exposure timing of theshutter for the camera- I Having in mind the above and other objectsthat will be evident from an understanding of this disclosure, theinvention-comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of partsas illustrated in.the presently preferred embodiment of the inventionwhich is hereinafter set forth in such detail as to enable those skilledin the art readily to understand the function, operation, constructionand advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing which is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, there is shownan elongated manually operable trigger lever 1 formed in either endsection with an elongated slot 3 which receives a respective one of apair of fixed guide pins 4 which guide the trigger lever l in itsendwise movement a predetermined distance dependent upon the length ofthe elon-- gated slots 3. lntegrally formed with and extending outwardlyfrom the right side of the trigger lever 1 are a plurality ofprotrusions, including a tab 2 formed in the lower section of the leverl, to which tab 2 there is secured one end of a coil spring 6 the otherend of which is secured to a fixed pin, the spring 6 serving to bias thetrigger lever l in an upward direction. Also integrally formed with andextending from the right side of the trigger lever l is a switchcontacting or actuating surface 7 having a leading edge which is alignedwith an electrical contact arm 7a, and a switch contacting or actuatingsurface 8 having a leading edge which is aligned with an electricalcontact arm 8a. The switch contacting surface 7 and the correspondingelectrical arm 7a provide for a long exposure time and the switchcontacting surface 8 and the electrical contact arm 8a provide for ashort exposure time and will be explained more fully below. The triggerlever 1 also includes a lower contacting end and a lever actuating pin 9that is mounted on one face of the lever l on the upper half thereof. v

The actuating pin 9 is aligned with a pin contacting arm 10a of anelongated hook lever 10 and is pivotally mounted on a shaft 11. Wrappedabout the shaft 11 is a spring 12 having an end in contact with a pin12a mounted on the pin contacting arm 10a and another end in contactwith a fixed pin 12b, so that the spring will bias the lever 10 in acounterclockwise direction as seen in the drawing. The elongated hooklever 10 includes a hook 13 which normally engages the locking arm 18 ofa V-shaped lever 14 that is pivotally mounted on a shaft I6. Wrappedabout the shaft16 is a spring 17 having one end in contact with a pin16a mounted on the lever 14 and another end that is in engagement with apin 16b mounted on an elongated intermediate lever 15 intermediate theends thereof, which lever 15 is also pivotally mounted by one endsection on the shaft 16. I

The other arm of the V-shaped lever 14 is a 'pin contacting arm 19,while the other end of the elongated intermediate lever 15isformed witha pair of spaced fingers, i.e., a locking finger 20 and a pin contactingfinger 21. Secured by one end to the pin 16b on the lever 15 is a spring22 the other endof which is connected to a fixed pin 22b which springserves to bias the lever 15 in a clockwise direction. The spring 17wrapped around the shaft 16 tends to bias the lever 14 and the lever 15to pivot said levers to move the arm 19 of the lever 14 toward thefinger 21 of the lever 15 to effect a scissorslike motion between thetwo levers. The finger 20 is normally engaged with the hook 26 of asubstantially V-shaped hook lever 23 that includes a pin contacting arm27 and is pivotally mounted on a shaft 24 substantially at the junctureof the two arms of the lever. Wrapped about the shaft 24 is a spring 25having one end in engagement with a pin 25a mounted on the lever 23 andanother end in contact with a fixed pin 25b, the spring 25 tending tobias the lever 23 in a clockwise direction as seen in the drawing.

Directly beneath the lever 23 there is shown a substantially disc-shapedcam plate 39 that is pivotally mounted on a shaft 40 about which iswrapped a spring 41 having an end that engages a fixed pin 41 andanother end that engages a pin 41b mounted on one face of the cam plate39, the spring 41 being arranged to bias the cam plate in a clockwisedirection. On the other face of the cam plate 39 there is mounted a pairof spaced lever contacting pins 42 and 43. The lever contacting pin 42is normally engaged withthe end section of the arm of an elongatedlocking lever 36 that is pivotally mounted by its other end on a shaft37 about which is wrapped spring 38 having one end in contact with a pin38a mounted on the lever 36, and another end in contact with a fixed pin38b, the spring 38 being arranged to bias the lever in a clockwisedirection about the shaft 37 normally to bring the arm of the lever 36into engagement with the pin 42. The cam plate 39 is formed with a pairof spaced ears 44 and 44a on the periphery of the cam plate 39, the earsbeing divided by a tail section 44b that also extends radially of theperiphery of the disc-shaped cam plate 39. As shown in the drawing, thetail section 44b and the ear 44 are normally captured between the arms47 and 47a of a substantially Y-shaped pawl 45 that is pivotally mountedat the juncture of its arms on a shaft 46. The Y-shaped pawl 45 alsoincludes a supporting arm 48 that is pivotally mounted by its free endto a shaft 48a that in turn is mounted on an iron piece 49 to which issecured an iron core 49a that is received by the coil 50 of theelectromagnet 50a. The substantially Y-shaped pawl 45 and the cam plate39 cooperate to form a type of escapement mechanism the function andoperation of which will be described more fully below.

The pin contacting arm 19 of the substantially V- shaped lever 14 is inalignment with a pin 30 that is mounted on a tab 30a extending outwardlyof the periphery of a ring 28 that is mounted to rotate about adisc-shaped aperture 28a which functions as the optical axis of thecamera. The ring 28 is biased in a counterclockwise direction by aspring 29 that is wrapped about a fixed pin 29a and includes an end thatengages a fixed pin 29b, the other end of which engages a pin 29cmounted on the ring 28. Also mounted on the periphery of the ring 28 area pair of spaced switch contacting pins 31 and 32, and a sector bladeactuating pin 33. The pin 33 is received by an elongated slot 33a formedin the sector blade 34 which sector blade is pivotally mounted by oneend section on a shaft 35. It is here noted that the sector blade 34 isonly one of a plurality of such blades which comprise the shutter thatis I conventionally used in a camera to open and close the exposureaperture which in this drawing is indicated by the numeral 28a to exposea film strip mounted in the camera body in alignment with the aperture28a.

A long exposure time contact 52 of a changeover switch 51 for selectingthe exposure time is electrically connected to the electrical connectingarm 7a, the switch 51 also including a short exposure time contact 53that is electrically connected with the electrical arm 8a. The switch 51includes an arm 51a that is movable between the contacts 52 and 53, thecontact arm 51a being electrically connected to one side of theelectromagnet 50a the other side-of which is electrically connected to anormally closed timing switch 57. The timing switch 57 includes acontact arm 5721 which is electrically connected to the positive side ofa self-contained electrical energy source or battery 56 the negativeside of which is electrically connected to the trigger lever 1. Thecontact arm 57a is also electrically connected to the contact arm 58a ofa synchronizer switch 58 that is connected to one side of a flash bulb59 the other side of which is connected to the negative side of thebattery 56. The leading edge of the switch contacting surface 7 isspaced only a slight distance from the contact arm 7a while the distancebetween the leading edge of the contact surface 8 and the contact arm 8ais greater than the distance between the surface 7 and the contact arm7a and is equal to the distance between the lower contacting end of thetrigger lever 1 and the arm of the elongated locking lever 36 in theposition of the elements as shown in the drawing.

Turning now to a description of the operation of the above describedelements and the electrical circuitry,

when a long exposure time is desired the manually operated changeoverswitch 51 is actuated to place the contact arm 51a into engagement withthe long exposure time contact 52. Next the operator presses the triggerlever 1 to move the actuating surface downwardly to bring the leadingedge thereof into contact with the electrical contact arm 7a therebycompleting the circuit for the electromagnet coil 50, the timing switch57, which at this point is closed, and the positive side of the battery56, the negative side already being in electrical contact with the leverl. The electromagnet 50a is thereby energized to hold the Y- shaped pawl45 in the position shown in the drawing with the tail section 44b andthe ear 44 captured between the arms 47 and 47a. Thereafter, even thoughthe trigger lever 1 is pushed down so that the lower end 5 is broughtinto contact with the lever 36 to pivot the lever 36 downwardly therebyfreeing the arm of the lever from engagement with the pin 42 on the camplate 39, the cam plate 39 will not rotate in a clockwise directionbecause the cam plate 39 is held by engagement of the car 44 with thearm 47a of the pawl 45. Thereafter, the trigger lever 1 is pushed downfurther until the pin 9 comes into contact with the arm 10a of the lever10 thereby to rotate the lever 10 in a clockwise direction and free thearm 18 of the lever 14 from engagement with the hook 13. The lever 14 isthen free to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 16under the urging of the spring 17. As the lever 14 rotates in acounterclockwise direction the arm 19 thereof engages and pushes the pin30 downwardly thereby to rotate the ring 28 in a clockwise direction tomove the sector blade 3.4 to its open position. As the ring 28 rotatesin a clockwise direction, the pin 31 is brought into engagement with thecontact arm 57a thereby to open the timing switch 57 and deenergize theelectromagnet 50a. At this point, the pawl 45 is free to pivot about theshaft 46 and the cam plate 39 is free to rotate in a clockwise directionbringing the car 44 past the arm 47a of the pawl 45. As the cam plate 39rotates in a clockwise direction, the pin 43 is brought into engagementwith the arm 27 of the substantially V- shaped hook lever 23 thereby torotate the lever 23 in a counterclockwise direction and free the hook 26from engagement with the locking finger 20 of the elongated intermediatelever 15. When this happens the lever 15 is free to rotate in aclockwise direction under the urging of the spring 22 to bring the pincontacting finger 21 into engagement with the pin 30 on the ring 28thereby to rotate the ring 28 counterclockwise back to its originalposition. As the ring 28 is moved back to its original position, theshutter blade 34 is closed thereby completing the exposure of the filmstrip.

When a short exposure time is desired the switch 51 is actuated to bringthe arm 510 into engagement with the contact 53. Then the trigger leverl is depressed by the operator bringing the leading edge of theactuating surface 7 into engagement with the contact arm 7a, however,since the arm 51a no longer engages the contact 52 the electromagnetwill not be energized at this point. With the electromagnet deenergizedthe pawl 45 is free to pivot about the pin 46 and the cam plate 39 willnot be hindered in its clockwise movement by the arm 47a of the pawl 45.As the lower contacting end 5 of the trigger lever engages the arm ofthe lever 36 the lever will be pushed downwardly or in acounterclockwise direction thereby freeing the cam plate 39 forclockwise movement about the shaft 40. As stated above, theelectromagnet, at this point, is deenergized and the arm 47a will notblock the movement of the cam plate 39. As soon as the cam plate 39 hasrotated a distance equivalent to the width of the ear 44 the leadingedge of the contacting surface 8 engages the contact arm of8a. When theleading edge of the actuating surface 8 engages the contact arm 8a thecircuit for the electromagnet 50a is closed through the switch 57, thebattery 56 and the trigger lever 1. At this point, the electromagneticcoil 50 becomes energized thereby holding the Y-shaped pawl 45 in afixed position once again to prevent further clockwise movement of thecam plate 39. As the trigger lever 1 moves downwardly, the pin 9 comesinto engagement with the arm 10a of the lever thereby rotating the lever10 about the shaft 11 in a clockwise direction freeing the arm 18 of theV-shaped lever 14 from engagement with the hook 13 of the lever 10. Withthe lever 14 now free to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the arm19 which engages the pin 30 will move that pin downwardly therebyrotating the ring 28 in a clockwise direction. The sector blade 34 ismoved to its open position and the pin 31 ultimately is brought intoengagement with the contact arm 57a of the switch 57 thereby openingthat switch and deenergizing the electromagnetic coil 50. With theelectromagnetic coil 50 once again deenergized, the Y- shaped pawl 45 isfree to pivot about the shaft 46 thereby freeing the cam plate 39 forrotary movement about the shaft 40. Once again, the pin 43 will bebrought into engagement with the arm 27 of the substantially V-shapedhook lever 23 thereby moving that lever in a counterclockwise directionfreeing the finger 20 from engagement with the hook 26. With the finger20 free of engagement with the hook 26 the elongated intermediate leverwill pivot in a clockwise direction under the uring of the spring 27 tobring the pin contacting finger 21 into engagement with the pin 30thereby to rotate the ring 28 in a counterclockwise direction. As thering 28 rotates in a counterclockwise direction the sector blade 34 willbe returned to its closed position thereby terminating the exposure ofthe film. As the ring 28 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction thesubstantially V-shaped lever 14 is pivoted in a clockwise direction bythe pin 30 until the arm 18 is once more brought into engagement withthe hook 13 of the elongated hook lever 10. It is noted that when theswitch 51 is in the short exposure time position the cam plate 39 startsits final clockwise movement, which ultimately initiates the closing ofthe sector blade 34 from its open position, from a position that isadvanced by the width of the ear 44. Since the cam plate 39 starts itsfinal movement from an advanced position, relatively to the longexposure time mode as described above, the sector blade can begin itsclosing motion sooner than the aforementioned long exposure mode.

When the trigger lever l is released the spring 6 will bring the leverback to its original position thereby freeing the lever 36 for rotationabout the shaft 37 in a clockwise direction under the urging of thespring 38. As the lever 36 rotates in a clockwise direction back to itsoriginal position, it will engage the pin 42 of the cam plate 39 torotate the cam plate 39 in a counterclockwise direction to bring thatcam plate back to its original position as shown in the drawing. inaddition, the other levers are brought back to their original positionunder the urging of the respective springs to place the apparatus shownback in the original position ready for initiating a new series when theoperator depresses the trigger lever 1.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combinationwith a camera having a shutter, apparatus for opening and closing theshutter for an exposure comprising: manually operable actuating meansfor initiating the operation of the shutter; switch means for varyingthe exposure termination of the shutter and having a first mode ofoperation for initiating a first exposure termination time and having asecond mode of operation for initiatin a second exposure terminationtime longer than said irst termination time; and means cooperating withsaid manually operable actuating means and said switch means for movingsaid shutter from a first, closed position to a second, open positionand back to said first' position, said last-mentioned meansincluding anelectromagnet electrically connected to said switch means, escapementmeans controlled by said electromagnet, and mechanical means selectivelyengaged by both said escapement means and said manually operableactuating means for effecting movement of said shutter.

2. A camera shutter combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidmanually operable actuating means includes an endwise movable elongatedtrigger lever having switch contacting surfaces and wherein said switchmeans includes electrical contact arms engageable with respective onesof said switch contacting surfaces when said trigger lever is manuallyoperated to move the trigger lever endwise.

3. A camera shutter combination as set forth in claim 2 including arotatable ring connected to said shutter and means connecting saidmechanical means to said rotatable ring to rotate said ring to open andclose said shutter.

4. A camera shutter combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidescapement mechanism has a first starting position corresponding to thefirst switch mode to provide a first exposure termination time and asecond starting position corresponding to the second switch mode toprovide a second exposure termination time longer than said firstexposure termination time.

5. In combination with a camera having a shutter; mechanical means formechanically effecting opening and closing of the shutter to effect anexposure; manually operable actuating means coacting with saidmechanical means for initiating the operation of the shutter; andcooperating means cooperating with said actuating means for providing atleast two exposure termination times one shorter than the othercomprising an escapement mechanism cooperative with said mechanicalmeans to alternatively effect closing of the shutter at either of saidtwo exposure termination times, electromagnetic means for controllingthe operation of said escapement mechanism, and means including switchmeans electrically connected to said electromagnetic means forselectively effecting energization of said electromagnetic means toselect one of said two exposure times prior to initiation of theexposure.

6. A camera shutter combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidmanually operable actuating means includes an endwise movable leverhaving a plurality of v

1. In combination with a camera having a shutter, apparatus for openingand closing the shutter for an exposure comprising: manually operableactuating means for initiating the operation of the shutter; switchmeans for varying the exposure termination of the shutter and having afirst mode of operation for initiating a first exposure termination timeand having a second mode of operation for initiating a second exposuretermination time longer than said first termination time; and meanscooperating with said manually operable actuating means and said switchmeans for moving said shutter from a first, closed position to a second,open position and back to said first position, said lastmentioned meansincluding an electromagnet electrically connected to said switch means,escapement means controlled by said electromagnet, and mechanical meansselectively engaged by both said escapement means and said manuallyoperable actuating means for effecting movement of said shutter.
 2. Acamera shutter combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said manuallyoperable actuating means includes an endwise movable elongated triggerlever having switch contacting surfaces and wherein said switch meansincludes electrical contact arms engageable with respective ones of saidswitch contacting surfaces when said trigger lever is manually operatedto move the trigger lever endwise.
 3. A camera shutter combination asset forth in claim 2 including a rotatable ring connected to saidshutter and means connecting said mechanical means to said rotatablering to rotate said ring to open and close said shutter.
 4. A camerashutter combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said escapementmechanism has a first starting position corresponding to the firstswitch mode to provide a first exposure terminatioN time and a secondstarting position corresponding to the second switch mode to provide asecond exposure termination time longer than said first exposuretermination time.
 5. In combination with a camera having a shutter;mechanical means for mechanically effecting opening and closing of theshutter to effect an exposure; manually operable actuating meanscoacting with said mechanical means for initiating the operation of theshutter; and cooperating means cooperating with said actuating means forproviding at least two exposure termination times one shorter than theother comprising an escapement mechanism cooperative with saidmechanical means to alternatively effect closing of the shutter ateither of said two exposure termination times, electromagnetic means forcontrolling the operation of said escapement mechanism, and meansincluding switch means electrically connected to said electromagneticmeans for selectively effecting energization of said electromagneticmeans to select one of said two exposure times prior to initiation ofthe exposure.
 6. A camera shutter combination as set forth in claim 5wherein said manually operable actuating means includes an endwisemovable lever having a plurality of switch contacting surfaces andincluding a plurality of electrical contact means electrically connectedto said switch means and selectively engageable with respective ones ofsaid switch contacting surfaces.